New Era for Irish Dairy Farming
We are entering a new era in dairy farming in Ireland and it is important that all stakeholders work together to ensure that we have a stronger dairy industry in the future.
Speaking at the Teagasc National Dairy Conferences in Limerick today Wednesday, 15th November and in Cavan on Thursday 16th November, 2006 the Head of Teagasc Dairy Production Research in Moorepark, Dr Pat Dillon outlined Teagasc’s Long Term Vision for the Irish Dairy Industry.
He argued that the early abolition of the EU milk quota may be beneficial to the Irish dairy industry in that it would allow dairy farmers who are eager to expand, to do so and possibly facilitate growth in Irish milk production.
“Pasture based dairy farming is the most profitable enterprise when based on efficient conversion of grazed grass into milk. Allowing for increases in land and labour productivity, dairy farming in Ireland can be the most competitive within the EU”, Dr Dillon said.
“Policy changes at EU level will require the Irish dairy industry to increase efficiency in the processing of commodity products while at the same time extracting greater value from milk by producing products that return a higher margin, he said.
He believes that Government policies that facilitate long term leasing of land and greater access for young people into dairy farming will be important in allowing the Irish dairy industry to compete successfully against major international competitors in the future.
Teagasc dairy programme manager, Matt Ryan, said that it is likely that in five to 10 years time most dairy farmers in Ireland will have a herd size of 80 -150 cows and, by necessity , this will be a one man operation with family and casual labour. He said that improved efficiency is the cheapest and most logical way of maintaining and improving farm incomes on dairy farms.
He outlined targets for dairy farming businesses of net profit of 15 cent per litre, €900 per cow and, or €2,500 per hectare, depending on farm circumstances.
Teagasc Advisory service is responding to the changing environment by putting in place a Specialised Advisory Service network to service the technical and business needs of 8,500 progressive dairy farmers.
